Most Tricky Car Salesman Tactics - Beware!

Buying a car is a big decision, either buying a used car or a new one, so you have to think a lot before deciding to make a payment. However, some car salesmen make it harder for you by using different tactics, and of course, none of them gives you pleasure. Therefore, it is crucial to know what their tactics are and how to deal with them. 

Offensive car salesman

The most obvious sign that helps you recognize an offensive car salesman is that he will follow you and keep talking all the time. Euphemistically explained, you will definitely have an unavoidable companion if you’re the type of person who wants to check the cars by yourself and hates disturbing. By trying to tell you about the impressive features of the car, they can trap you in a defensive position and make you want to buy the car unsuitable to your needs. Even worse, there are salesmen who are so aggressive that they pressure customers into some specific cars.

If you want to be alone, tell them only come to you when you need them.

Most people try to ignore this type of dealer by saying “I’m just looking” whenever he or she appears and starts selling. When customers really want to buy a car, they often don’t want the salesmen to know because no one wants to deal with hard sales, which can create tension between the parties. However, dealers know the habits of customers, so some dealers will give upfront prices which help to avoid the situation, but it also makes customers feel less pressure when making decisions. Moreover, because there is little to no bargain can be made, the salesmen wouldn’t have to haggle with their customers.

The tips to deal with the offensive car salesman are:

1. Don’t purchase a car because of the pressure from aggressive dealers. Think twice and wise, buying a car is indeed a big decision.

2. Do research to know the price of your ideal car, walk into a showroom, check the car, and either buy the car or leave in peace.

2. The Trade-In Trick

It is not rare that many people buying new cars focus on their current cars’ trade-in value. And dealers will certainly take advantage of this by making such customers think they are offered a great deal on their trade-in value, in which the dealers play some tricks. For instance, a customer researches and finds that his trade-in worths around INR 4 lakh and the car he wants is priced 15.5 lakh. The salesman will offer him 5 lakh on the customer’s trade. Such a good deal, why not take it?

However, the truth that nobody tells the customer is that the car he wants to buy is worth just 10 lakh. Therefore, when purchasing a new car involving trade-in, keep in mind the 2 things: what you can get for your trade and what the car you’re getting is truly worth.

Be wise, and don't let any car salesman take advantage of you.

3. The distracting salesman

When you hear a car salesman ask for the kind of payment prior to the price of a car, be cautious. By distracting you with different types of payment (like instalment), they can get you to overpay your car. In some payments, you can be charged up to 0.3 lakh more. Therefore, focus on your plan, find the car you want and afford it in cash (or other payments if you’ve checked and found they cost the same as cash). If you’re lucky, you can meet a good dealer who concerns about customers’ budgets rather than the payment.

A good salesman will ask how much you can afford.

4. Misleading Information

Among the most common tricks a car salesman can do to get customers to buy a car, providing wrong information is the most awful way. Instantly, you checked your dream car and found some scratches on the paint and the doors are a bit off-centre. You concluded that the car was perhaps accidentally harmed in a crash (in terms of a used car), or during its transporting. However, there’s no such record in the car’s history report, so the dealer did not tell you. When you mention the problem, most dealers will end up saying that the issue is small and they can touch up for you. Markets are battlefields, so salesmen often reply to customers with misleading information to avoid responsibility and additional cost for them. All you can do is be wise and fight for your benefits.

Some salesmen distract you by giving false information.

5. The waiting game

Another awful experience to customers but a delightful one to dealers is involved in the waiting game strategy. The method is to create long procedures including layers of approval and management. That is to say, when you purchase a car, you have to move to different areas where there are various procedures you have to come through, such as paperwork and financing. During the time-wasted procedures, they keep asking you to spend more on this and that, which can frustrate you and in the worst case, you might agree with them. Therefore, whenever you find yourself trapped in the waiting game and you have little patience, urge them to do fast or call off the deal. Don’t agree to spend on something unnecessary just because you want to leave.

Waiting for hours at the table can get you really frustrated.

6. The hidden traps

Another kind of providing misleading information is excluding information. In other words, dealers don’t publicize all the cost of a car; instead, they give only the ex-showroom price. For instance, the price shown is only 7.6 lakh, but the additional cost, which is hidden, is up to 0.8 lakh; hence, the total price will be 8.4 lakh. That’s how dealers make profits. The additional fees are acceptable, but some places have higher fees than the others. Therefore, make sure you do some research and make the dealers confirm the total price before taking the money out of your pocket.

It is necessary to know the actual prices of the car, not just their ex-showroom price.

All in all, the above tactics create an irritating experience for both customers and car dealers. However, you should not let them burden you. Instead, do lots of research and keep in mind the tips to deal with those tactics. Asking for advice from somebody you trust or going with them when purchasing a new car is also a decent option. We hope that the tips can help you find a new car at a good price.